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HowStuffWorks
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>In 1998, then <a href="/facts/North_Carolina_State_University/FnMUAASu">North Carolina State University</a> instructor <a href="/facts/Marshall_Brain/X93m3ps8">Marshall Brain</a> (1961–2024), started the site as a hobby. In 1999, Brain raised <a href="/facts/Venture_capital/yeH3m7zo">venture capital</a> and formed HowStuffWorks, Inc. In March 2002, HowStuffWorks was sold to the Convex Group, an Atlanta-based investment and media company founded by Jeff Arnold, founder and former <a href="/facts/Chief_executive_officer/mg4A8y5M">chief executive officer</a> (CEO) of <a href="/facts/WebMD/BILVL1DI">WebMD</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The headquarters moved from <a href="/facts/Cary%2c_North_Carolina/wrw4LTcU">Cary, North Carolina</a>, to <a href="/facts/Atlanta/8hPVGb78">Atlanta</a>. HowStuffWorks originally focused on science and machines, ranging from submarines to common household gadgets and appliances. After adding a staff of writers, artists, and editors, content expanded to a larger array of topics. </p><p>On October 20, 2004,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Stuffo.com was created, and HowStuffWorks moved its entertainment section over to the new website.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> In 2005, the team disbanded Stuffo.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>The <a href="/facts/Domain_name/FDLD2m5G">domain</a> HowStuffWorks.com attracted at least 58 million visitors annually by 2008, according to a <a href="/facts/Compete.com/bH7Jo8Kq">Compete.com</a> survey.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>There have been four HowStuffWorks books—two illustrated hardcover <a href="/facts/Coffee_table_book/h3NAxIkm">coffee table books</a>, <i>HowStuffWorks</i> and <i>More HowStuffWorks</i>, and two un-illustrated paperbacks, <i>How Much Does the Earth Weigh?</i> and <i>What If?</i>. HowStuffWorks previously put out an educational magazine, <i>HowStuffWorks Express</i>, for middle-school students. The company has also released a series of HowStuffWorks trivia "LidRock" discs—<a href="/facts/CD-ROM/JwuaYLJv">CD-ROMs</a> sold on <a href="/facts/Fountain_drink/oFMohqsY">fountain drink</a> lids at <a href="/facts/Regal_Theaters/GVgggPhd">Regal Theaters</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>In 2005, HowStuffWorks became the exclusive online publisher for Publications International, Ltd., Consumer Guide and <a href="/facts/Mobil_Travel_Guide/TsKW4NAC">Mobil Travel Guide</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>Howstuffworks.com spun off its international division when it went public (<a href="http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/hswi">Nasdaq:HSWI</a>) via an acquisition of INTAC, a China-based company. In March 2007, HSW International launched its Portuguese website with headquarters in <a href="/facts/S%25C3%25A3o_Paulo%2c_Brazil/pPqRTTR0">São Paulo, Brazil</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> The Portuguese name of the site is Como Tudo Funciona ("how everything works"). In June 2008, the Chinese site was launched with new headquarters in <a href="/facts/Beijing%2c_China/Bg4puFBv">Beijing, China</a>. The URL roughly translates to "Knowledge Information Web".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>On October 15, 2007, <a href="/facts/Discovery_Communications/6y0aeRqm">Discovery Communications</a> announced it had bought HowStuffWorks for $250 million.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> The company later chose to use the name HowStuffWorks as the title of a television series on its <a href="/facts/The_Discovery_Channel/mmhjAhgr">Discovery Channel</a>. The series, which focuses on <a href="/facts/Commodity/zD0Em9v7">commodities</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> premiered in November 2008 and is similar in style and content to other "how it works" programs, like <i><a href="/facts/Modern_Marvels/MV65b33l">Modern Marvels</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p><p>On November 2, 2009, HSW International co-founded <a href="/facts/Sharecare/FPbwLnFE">Sharecare</a>, developing a social QA platform through which users ask health and wellness-related questions, receiving answers from industry experts. Other co-founders in Sharecare include Jeff Arnold, <a href="/facts/Dr._Mehmet_Oz/zdMPa1Av">Dr. Mehmet Oz</a>, <a href="/facts/Harpo_Productions/Ev3AsyEK">Harpo Productions</a>, Discovery Communications, and <a href="/facts/Sony_Pictures_Television/vHRQNkqM">Sony Pictures Television</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p><p>On April 21, 2014, Discovery Communications announced that it had sold HowStuffWorks to <a href="/facts/Blucora/FPX3p62L">Blucora</a> for $45 million.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> In July 2016, Blucora announced the sale of its Infospace business, including HowStuffWorks, to OpenMail for $45 million.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> OpenMail was later renamed System1.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> </p><p>In 2014, HowStuffWorks moved its headquarters from <a href="/facts/Buckhead/MaEXeH1U">Buckhead</a> to <a href="/facts/Ponce_City_Market/IJSRRuz5">Ponce City Market</a>, a new <a href="/facts/Mixed-use_development/6SLcHdmJ">mixed-use development</a> in the <a href="/facts/Old_Fourth_Ward/3T4MUxl2">Old Fourth Ward</a> neighborhood of Atlanta.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> In June 2017, it announced the hiring of <a href="/facts/Cracked.com/w8rpIoRd">Cracked.com</a> founder and former editor-in-chief Jack O'Brien for its new comedy podcasting division.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p><p>In 2017, System1 spun off the podcast department of HowStuffWorks as Stuff Media, retaining the HowStuffWorks website. In September 2018, Stuff Media announced its sale to radio broadcaster <a href="/facts/IHeartMedia/3r06AD4a">iHeartMedia</a> for $55 million.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="podcasts">Podcasts</h2> <p>HowStuffWorks maintained a large number of <a href="/facts/Podcasts/arkeh0YV">podcasts</a>, hosted by its staff writers and editors, but now all former HSW podcasts are owned and operated by <a href="/facts/IHeartRadio/X7GWQMGg">iHeartRadio</a>. </p> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Stuff_You_Should_Know/mybvkftV">Stuff You Should Know</a></i>: an audio podcast and video series on various topics from all fields of interest</li> <li><i>TechStuff</i>: dedicated to demystifying technology and discussing its impact on society, originally hosted by technology editor Chris Pollette and senior staff writer Jonathan Strickland. In January 2013, Chris Pollette was replaced as co-host by Social Media Editor Lauren Vogelbaum. Vogelbaum left the program in 2015 and Strickland became a solo host.</li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Atlanta_Monster/aRMbaRQE">Atlanta Monster</a></i>: in cooperation with Tenderfoot TV, a crime podcast about the <a href="/facts/Atlanta_murders_of_1979%25E2%2580%259381/IMhIc6hD">Atlanta murders of 1979–81</a>, hosted by Payne Lindsey of podcast <i>Up and Vanished</i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/Behind_the_Bastards/SfjINSJN">Behind the Bastards</a></i>: is a weekly comedic history podcast hosted by <a href="/facts/Robert_Evans_(journalist)/SfjINSJN">Robert Evans</a> exploring the lives of deplorable historical figures.</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/EHow/rJvYBo8d">eHow</a></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/How_It%2527s_Made/0ygYyjuf">How It's Made</a></i></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/The_Way_Things_Work/IJvyVhIP">The Way Things Work</a></i></li> <li><a href="/facts/WikiHow/dy9RsuV9">wikiHow</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.howstuffworks.com/">Official website</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1352532/"><i>HowStuffWorks</i> TV series hosted by Gabe Doran, Mike Senese and David Heber</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12791930/"><i>HowStuffWorks</i> Podcast series hosted by Josh Clark, Charles W. Bryant and Chris Pollette</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2560780/"><i>HowStuffWorks</i> TV series hosted by Charles W. Bryant, Josh Clark and Caitlin Bitzegaio</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a> </li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130204011107/http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/how-stuff-works/how-stuff-works.html"><i>How Stuff Works</i></a> at <a href="/facts/Discovery_Channel/mmhjAhgr">Discovery Channel</a> (archived 4 February 2013)</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>HowStuffWorks, LLC: Private Company Information – Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=38042079" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=38042079</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"System1 raises $270 million for 'consumer intent' advertising". L.A. Biz. Retrieved December 1, 2017. <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2017/09/20/system1-raises-270-million-for-consumer-intent.html" target="_blank">https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2017/09/20/system1-raises-270-million-for-consumer-intent.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>HowStuffWorks sold to vulture fund BizJournals 2002-09-02. <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2002/09/02/story4.html" target="_blank">http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2002/09/02/story4.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Whois Record for StuffO.com". DomainTools. Retrieved December 23, 2020. <a href="https://whois.domaintools.com/stuffo.com" target="_blank">https://whois.domaintools.com/stuffo.com</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Stuffo: Movies, Games, Web, World Domination". Archived from the original on December 6, 2004. Retrieved December 23, 2020. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20041206090624/http://stuffo.howstuffworks.com/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20041206090624/http://stuffo.howstuffworks.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Coustan, Dave. "Stuffo (2004-2005)". Extraface. Retrieved December 23, 2020. <a href="https://www.extraface.com/" target="_blank">https://www.extraface.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>HowStuffWorks Archived April 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine at Compete.com <a href="http://siteanalytics.compete.com/howstuffworks.com?metric=uv" target="_blank">http://siteanalytics.compete.com/howstuffworks.com?metric=uv</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Lidrock December 08". Optical Storage Technology. Retrieved December 23, 2020. <a href="http://www.ostechno.com.au/news/lidrock-december-08" target="_blank">http://www.ostechno.com.au/news/lidrock-december-08</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"NYC Receives Mobil Travel Award". NYC & Company. November 9, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2020. <a href="https://business.nycgo.com/press-and-media/press-releases/articles/post/press-release-nyc-receives-mobil-travel-award-11-09-06/" target="_blank">https://business.nycgo.com/press-and-media/press-releases/articles/post/press-release-nyc-receives-mobil-travel-award-11-09-06/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"HowStuffWorks - como tudo funciona". Hsw.com.br. April 1, 2000. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080905045949/http://hsw.com.br/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20080905045949/http://hsw.com.br/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"博闻网 知道就好!". Bowenwang.com.cn. April 1, 2000. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090318112421/http://www.bowenwang.com.cn/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090318112421/http://www.bowenwang.com.cn/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"Discovery Buys HowStuffWorks.com" by the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119240620469258721?mod=rss_whats_news_technology" target="_blank">https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119240620469258721?mod=rss_whats_news_technology</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>- "Precious Commodities" . - Discovery Channel Archived March 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/how-stuff-works/series.html" target="_blank">http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/how-stuff-works/series.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Wasko, Janet and Calderon, Carlos. - "Modern Marvels: Celebrating How It Works". - University of Oregon. - May 7, 2008 <a href="http://flowtv.org/?p=1299" target="_blank">http://flowtv.org/?p=1299</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"Dr. Mehmet Oz and Internet Entrepreneur, Jeff Arnold, Announce Sharecare Inc., a Web 3.0 Platform, Organizing and Answering the Questions of Health". Bloomberg. November 2, 2009. Retrieved April 2, 2011. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=HSWI:US&sid=ac9dCGVDwxLU" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=HSWI:US&sid=ac9dCGVDwxLU</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Discovery Sells HowStuffWorks at 82% Loss After Seven Years". Bloomberg. April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014. <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-21/discovery-sells-howstuffworks-at-82-loss-after-seven-years.html" target="_blank">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-21/discovery-sells-howstuffworks-at-82-loss-after-seven-years.html</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Blucora to sell InfoSpace business for $45 million". Seattle Times. July 5, 2016. <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/blucora-to-sell-infospace-business-for-45-million/" target="_blank">http://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/blucora-to-sell-infospace-business-for-45-million/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"System1 raises $270 million for 'consumer intent' advertising". L.A. Biz. Retrieved December 1, 2017. <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2017/09/20/system1-raises-270-million-for-consumer-intent.html" target="_blank">https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2017/09/20/system1-raises-270-million-for-consumer-intent.html</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Sams, Douglas (October 28, 2014). "HowStuffWorks moves headquarters to Ponce City Market". Atlanta Business Chronicle. <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/real_talk/2014/10/howstuffworks-moves-headquarters-to-ponce-city.html" target="_blank">http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/real_talk/2014/10/howstuffworks-moves-headquarters-to-ponce-city.html</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Cracked Founder Exits to Create Comedy Division at HowStuffWorks". Variety. 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017. <a href="https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/cracked-founder-exits-to-create-comedy-division-at-howstuffworks-1202473006/" target="_blank">https://variety.com/2017/digital/news/cracked-founder-exits-to-create-comedy-division-at-howstuffworks-1202473006/</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Spangler, Todd (September 13, 2018). "iHeartMedia to Buy HowStuffWorks Podcasting Parent for $55 Million". Variety. Retrieved September 15, 2018. <a href="https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/iheartmedia-stuff-media-howstuffworks-podcast-acquisition-1202939938/" target="_blank">https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/iheartmedia-stuff-media-howstuffworks-podcast-acquisition-1202939938/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>